The approach used in the chosen study included qualitative phone interviews with students who had recently dropped out of courses given by online education providers. These programs were drawn from various degrees, and the time devoted to interviews was not strictly determined to allow for profound conversations. The discussions included an inquiry about the benefits of free online education, and the student’s main reason for dropping the course was sought. Interviewers examined participants’ variables that had affected their dropouts and asked if the institution could have done anything to prevent it.
The study is “Large qualitative sample and thematic analysis to redefine student dropout and retention strategy in open online education,” published by Greenland and Moore in 2021 in the British Journal of Educational Technology. The researchers have performed interviews with students who had dropped out of free online education. They provided thematic analysis and discovered subthemes among major causes for dropout, which are frequently regarded as uncontrolled and inescapable (Greenland & Moore, 2021). Finally, they suggested a strategy framework that includes a retention management approach for prioritizing student-informed interventions based on the specific reasons for student dropout.
The researchers have implicitly defined the question of their study, which is the causes of retention in high education institutions. They have clarified the target population in the method section and the approach in the work title, which is consistent with the question. The article’s literature review provides clear background for the problem, and the purpose of the study ensues from the insufficiency of the existing research. The sample and the process of interviews are well-described data collection and analysis processes. As a result, the analysis and discussion sections summarized and described the data logically and coherently. Finally, the conclusion of the work is appropriate regarding the purpose and limitations of the study, which means that it is credible.
Reference
Greenland, S. J., & Moore, C. (2021). Large qualitative sample and thematic analysis to redefine student dropout and retention strategy in open online education. British Journal of Educational Technology. Web.